Speech by SM Goh Chok Tong at the Unveiling of the Torch and Portable Cauldron Design for the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame

We are gathered here today to unveil the Torch and portable cauldron design for the Journey of the Youth Olympic Flame (JYOF).

As you know, in accordance with Olympic tradition, the Olympic Flame will be lit in Greece to herald the start of the Games. Today's event is held here because NorthLight is involved in Singapore 2010 as one of the schools twinned with Greece. After the Flame Lighting Ceremony in Greece on 23rd July 2010, the flame, using the Torch design which we will unveil later, will journey across five continents to Berlin, Dakar, Mexico City, Auckland and Seoul before arriving in Singapore for a six-day torch relay across the country.

Today's event is a significant milestone in Singapore's Olympic journey. This journey began in 2007, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to introduce the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) to spread the Olympic spirit through getting the best of the younger generation to compete in sports on a global basis.

That opened the door for Singapore to put in a bid to host the inaugural YOG. We did it because we wanted to inspire our young to imbibe the Olympic spirit of fair play, dedication and pursuit of excellence. What better way than organising and participating in the first-ever Olympics for the youths of the world? Of course, some people doubted our ability to pull off the bid, let alone organise the Games. They were not wrong to be sceptical as we were competing against several more experienced candidate cities with a longer history of sporting organisation and excellence. Besides, the last major international multi-sports event we had organised was the 1993 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, a small organisational effort compared to this one.

However, what Singapore lacks in size, it more than makes up with its can-do spirit. So it came as no surprise to me when it was announced that we had won the bid. We had put in a passionate and determined effort. We won by convincing others that a small, young and well-run country would be a good place to show-case the inaugural Youth Olympic Games.

Singapore 2010

Singapore 2010 is a full scale Games. It has the same number of sports as in the London 2012 Olympic Games. We expect to welcome about 3,600 athletes from around the world. The Games will operate out of 48 venues in different parts of Singapore, from the Opening Ceremony in Marina Bay to the Singapore Sports School; from the Youth Olympic Village at NTU to East Coast Park. It is a major national effort but a worthwhile one for us to rally behind. Let me explain why.

First, our hosting of the inaugural YOG must be seen against our desire to take Singapore to the next stage as a vibrant and fun place. We have grown our economy and rejuvenated Singapore’s physical landscape. We must now go beyond hard infrastructure to create the soft environment of a most liveable and bustling global city. More than just an efficient, clean and orderly city for MNCs and banks, we must do more to be a warm home for Singaporeans and an exciting place for Singaporeans and visitors alike. For instance, the two integrated resorts will greatly expand our entertainment options. For those who like a flutter or two, there are the casinos, though I hope Singaporeans will be careful with their hard-earned money. Or if you like glamour and lights, there is not just the Formula One Grand Prix night race but other lifestyle events like concerts and festivals all 52 weekends of the year.

Singapore 2010 is another massive effort to put Singapore on the world map of most interesting and liveable cities. The world’s attention will again be on Singapore. It is a golden opportunity for us to show our country and warmth to the young athletes and curious visitors who come. Let them bring home fond memories of the sights and sounds of Singapore; let them bring back bonds of friendships and stories of Singaporeans’ smiles and graciousness. Let them go home wishing for more chicken rice or roti prata, and for the adventurous few, the taste and smell of durians. If they recount their time in Singapore when they return home; if they tell their friends and relatives their Singapore experience, we would have gained many friends from hosting the YOG.

Second, Singapore 2010 is an encouragement to our athletes to dedicate themselves to sports. The YOG will bring the world stage to their doorstep and provide the platform for them to live their dreams as they take their first steps on their Olympic journey. Their devotion to the pursuit of excellence, their struggles and triumphs, will in turn inspire other Singaporeans to take up sports and strengthen our sporting culture.

Third, Singapore 2010 would be a vivid display of the passion of our young, and their ability to make a difference. Young Singaporeans will have an opportunity to connect and share their own unique Singapore story with youths from other parts of the world. Singapore 2010 will see our youths using new media to share their thoughts about Olympism and the YOG. Our students will also get to know their counterparts from other countries through the Friends@YOG Twinning Programme and so appreciate and embrace the Olympic values of Friendship, Excellence and Respect. The YOG is an unprecedented opportunity for Singaporeans to learn about other countries near and far and connect us to these countries emotionally. Our community groups can take their own initiative to create activities based on the Olympic Values, generate the buzz for the YOG, and come out in full force to support our Team Singapore athletes.

Involving Singaporeans

I am glad that the Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) has come up with different platforms and opportunities to encourage more Singaporeans to participate in the YOG.

This is the first time that an Olympic torch relay will be held here in Singapore. As the Youth Olympic Flame represents the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect, bearers of the torch are the envoys of the Flame and what it represents. The relay will run through five community districts. Everyone can be involved. You can be a torchbearer. Or you can rally your friends, families and neighbours to Cheer the Flame and your community torchbearers as the relay passes your home, school or workplace. Or you can volunteer to organise or join in the festivities at the various community celebration sites at the end of each relay day. Yet another way is for you to perform deeds of Friendship, Excellence or Respect, share it on the Singapore 2010 website, and inspire others to do likewise. These are simple acts which celebrate and honour the everyday people who embrace, embody and express the values of the Olympic Flame:

"A simple flame passed hand to hand, not by the fastest or the strongest, but by people whose greatest gift is what they give of themselves, because it's not just what you do for the record books, it's what you do for others".

Conclusion

Finally, as the excitement builds up to the YOG, it is timely to remind Singaporeans not to miss this opportunity to have a hand in shaping the YOG story. Singaporeans rejoiced as a nation when we won a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. I do not know when we will win another Olympic medal, but I know we have already won a gold by hosting the inaugural Youth Olympic Games. And that is a record which no other country can ever take away from us.

Thank you.